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5 Golden-Rules to Achieve Print Marketing Nirvana

In the ever increasingly digital marketing world that we exist in, it’s easy to forget or ignore tried and tested methods of promoting your company. It probably hasn’t escaped your attention that vinyl records are having somewhat of a resurgence of late. The same can be said of printed marketing materials.

Like vinyl, printed material satisfies a basic human need to touch, to feel and even smell. It’s ours and we can move it around in our hands, pick it up and put it down. All attributes the digital world has yet to replicate.

When done right, a printed brochure can ooze quality and sophistication. It’s not necessarily cheap but if you follow the golden rules you can make sure you achieve maximum “bang for your buck”.

Creating a brochure is one of the foundational steps for any new business. Even businesses who have been around for a few years will update their brochures regularly to keep up with changing styles and new information and offerings.

Brochures are a special kind of marketing tool because of their lifespan. Brochures are typically printed on thick, glossy paper and widely distributed. Because of the time, effort and expenses involved in designing and printing promotional brochures, they are expected to last up to a year or sometimes longer, all the while providing a useful, up-to-date resource that bring in new clientele and keeps customers coming back.

If you’re putting together your first brochure, or you’re in the process of updating your company’s pamphlet, here are five steps to designing and printing an eye-catching brochure that will last.

1. Define the purpose

What is the purpose of this marketing material? By developing a clear outline of what your brochure is intended to accomplish, you’ll be able to achieve that purpose more effectively. Start defining the purpose by answering these questions:

Where will the brochure be displayed?

Who is the intended audience?

If you’re giving the brochure to customers who have already made it to your place of business, what can you offer them that they don’t already know?

2. Construct your message

Now that you have an end-goal in mind (the purpose), the next step is to decide how you’ll get there. Think about your business’s brand: How is your business portrayed to the public? Think about your business’s philosophy and broader mission. Create a specific message for your brochure that reflects the bigger picture that is your business.

The most important components of any marketing campaign are clarity and authenticity. Be clear with the message you want to get across, and be sure that it accurately reflects your business as a whole – its values, products and services.

3. Choose the right fold

Your entire pamphlet design will depend upon the fold you choose for your brochure, and the fold depends on the message you want to send and how you want to present it. There are many different standard folds and each layout will get a message across differently.

The most popular brochure fold is the 6 Page Standard Fold, which often carries the reader’s eye from the front page directly to the inside of the brochure, as the reader is curious to dive into the main content. As you choose the fold for your pamphlet, imagine yourself as a first-time viewer: How do you work your way through the content? In what order? Which parts do you skim? Know how you want your message to unfold, and choose the structure that best encourages the sort of story-telling you’re after.

4. Design with care

There are three main elements to design: text, colour, and composition. As you write out the content, remember that less is more. If you can remove a word, do so. Choose your words carefully: Clarity is your Number 1 priority.

In the design stage, arrange your font as you want it to appear to your reader. Play with different fonts and different sizes, but stick to no more than two different fonts and three different sizes. Again, less is more.

Colour plays a crucial role in portraying your message. Colour creates the overall feeling of your brochure, whether it comes from text, imagery or both. Use colours that compliment each other stay true to your message. Experiment until you land somewhere between boring and over-the-top, and avoid either extreme at all costs.

5. Place it

After printing your masterpiece, the final step is to place your product in the right places. Think back to who this brochure was intended for, then brainstorm to figure out where they might spend their time. Partner up with local businesses and ask to display your brochure there in exchange for displaying their brochure at your location.

Strategise to determine the most effective way to get your brochure out there. After all, what good is an eye-catching brochure if nobody sees it?

About manorporinting

Chris Holloway is Managing Director of Manor Printing Services and has a wealth of experience in print and design, having seen the industry change beyond all recognition in recent years.

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